Odd Conversations
by GothicCheshire
Summary: Start in the simplest of ways.


Slightly AU, takes place after the movie, seen through the eyes of an OC, and dealing with a reformed Ratigan and Fidget. If you do read it, please review it.

Disclaimer: Own none of the characters and settings from the movie.

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It happened again; just when I thought my life couldn't get any weirder it decides to throw me another loop. Once again it happened at Basil's place. If I had known I'd get into these situations when I accepted the job, I would have never done it.

Back to what happened, I honestly never know how I manage to get myself into those situations. One minute Basil was walking around gesturing excitedly, as was usual for him, next minute he's on top of me and looking as though he just saw a ghost. Seemed that in his over eagerness to explain his new idea he had tripped on the rug, I never knew I would grow to hate an inanimate object quite as much as I did that rug. Part of the reason for that was standing in the doorway, eyes as wide as saucers, and mouth hanging towards his navel.

Fidget the Bat…I was still surprised sometimes at how used I am to seeing him. He had, has, I should say, come a long way from being a part of Ratigan's old band of ruffians. Living with the greatest detective Mousedom has ever known does that to you I think. He had been accepted into normal society a few years ago, that was definitely a day to go into the history books. The day two villains were accepted into our ranks. Reformed.

It started with the bat. He had lived due to the simple will to do so. Clutching to a piece of drift wood and rescued by a mouse on a fishing barge. He had no idea who he was. Probably a good thing or he would have never taken care of the poor dear. Even though it was proof that the mouse lived with his head under a rock. After a few weeks with some severe changes taking place Fidget was free to go. He did so, and immediately ran into someone he thought long dead.

From what he tells me he had never been more frightened in all his life. Ratigan, in the most tattered outfit he had ever seen leaning against the wall and looking as though he had just won the lottery. Fidget had cowered, begged, pleaded with his old master to spare him, only to find him on his knees in front of him, begging him for forgiveness. Ratigan never spoke of what happened to him. Only that it was a life changing experience. I suppose facing your own death can do that to you.

He wanted nothing to do with what he had been doing. He eventually took it up with the queen herself. Asking for an audience for both him, and, as he called him, 'his little batty friend.' She was both unnerved and shocked. But she accepted, guards, Basil, Dawson and the Flaversham's all around her. They weren't the only audience. Most everyone showed up, including me. I was curious about what on earth the two could possibly say. What I heard still amazes me.

It started simply enough, although no less shockingly, Ratigan had apologized. Told her where she could find most of the stolen jewels that even Basil hadn't been able to find, and promised loyalty. Fidget was just as shocked as the rest of us. Basil was the first to speak out though. The angriest I or anyone else had ever seen him. But Ratigan was calm, answered quietly, shamefully almost; there was none of the usual bouncy flair that was to be expected from the cocky mastermind. That was when Basil started to believe him. But it wasn't until Fidget broke in that the true acceptance began.

It started with one of the kids stomping on his foot. Fidget hopped up and down in pain clutching it, several people laughed. The poor bat seemed to diminish, looking remarkably like a kicked puppy. To this day I have never seen anyone look both so pathetic, and so in need of a good hug. Olivia, still being a rash and impulsive little girl, gave him just that. There was a shocked silence; Fidget looked like his brain had imploded. I honestly wouldn't have blamed him. Basil went to pry her off quickly, obviously worried for her safety, but she had seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly ran away to her father.

Ratigan looked both shocked and appalled. Yet he got over it quickly, dismissing it entirely. A very good move on his part. It showed he was past it. Wanted no revenge and that there was nothing to fear from him. Fidget was still staring at the girl in shock. Olivia peered back at him. Her father scolded her on the dangers that little stunt had. She had the decency to look ashamed. The conversation moved on.

The queen couldn't decide either way, until she noticed the bat had made his way to Olivia. He had his hat off, and behind his back, head bowed, and ears slightly lowered, the very picture of remorse. "I'm sorry…" It was soft, tentative, and much more believable than Ratigan's outright demand. Olivia seemed to consider and looked at her father.

It was safe to say that after Ratigan's plan was foiled and everything was said and done, the Flaversham's had prospered. Everyone went to their toy store after they returned from their adventure, which was why they could afford a trip to Scotland. Truly there was no lasting harm done. Only good had come of it. Minus a few scattered nightmares. Hiram Flaversham looked at the bat with an expression of complete and total scrutiny. Fidget cringed under it slightly, but soon stood up to his full height and faced him down.

Hiram slowly gave him a soft smile and held out a hand. Fidget stared at it for a second before slowly reaching out and grasping it. Queen Mousetoria watched with a narrowed gaze and asked him a question.

"How old are you?" She demanded, giving her words and voice an authority only heard in a queen.

Fidget jumped and turned around to face her with wide eyes; it was obvious to many of us that he wasn't expecting to be addressed by her. She repeated her question after she cleared her throat gently, trying to appear less demanding, "How old are you?"

"I'm…I'm" He looked at Ratigan quickly, eyes slightly wide, expression lightly frightened and confused. When Ratigan nodded and moved his hand at him in a 'go on' gesture he seemed to relax and finished, "sixteen…"

The answer shocked most of us, staring at the bat with an expression of complete and total amazement; I still remember placing my hand on my mouth. He seemed to stiffen and crossed his arms in front of his chest defensively. The queen placed a hand on her heart in shock.

"Sixteen…how long have you been in his service child?"

"Since I was…five I t'ink." Fidget was confused when everyone turned their attention to Ratigan with greater animosity than most.

"He was on the street, had no one to look after him, no one gave him more than a passing glance, but I decided to take pity on him. I taught him how to read, how to survive… More than most of you had done to him before. When I found him he was a shivering wreck, his leg had just been bitten off by a cat and no one even bothered to approach him. I saved him."

"Yet you brought him into the service of a den of thieves. Did you teach him anything other than how to read?"

Ratigan cleared his throat. It was obvious what sort of thing he had taught him, but to make it clear, he learned how to steal and pickpocket in his service.

"While the boy has an excuse, I don't think that you do. I think the best thing for it is to sentence you."

"If you sentence him, you sentence me." The bat spoke up and stomped his wooden leg on the ground as he crossed his wings.

There was now a problem. What to do with them both? They debated and argued, trying to find out what to do with the both of them.

The one who came through for him was Basil.

If he agreed to help Basil with his cases and track down various criminals, he would give him a home and would make sure he didn't fall into temptation. Ratigan agreed, Fidget followed, and I offered to tutor the young bat. Both were slightly shocked but when I mentioned he had only said 'read' there was much to learn, and I also figured it would be good for an outside party to do so, that way they could concentrate on catching the criminals and not have to worry about his studies.

They agreed after discussing my price. I followed them home and began my rather strange set of adventures with them, all leading up to the point where Basil fell on top of me, and Fidget looked distinctly smug.

"I swear to you it's not what it looks like!" Basil exclaimed, pushing himself up and reaching to help me.

"Suuuure it's not…"

"Darn it Fidget, I said it's not, so it's not." Basil straightened his collar quickly.

"Then what was it? Did ya mean for somet'in else ta happen a little lower but couldn't convince her?" The sneaky look on his face was enough to make me want to hit him.

"NO! No! For God's sake, NOTHING WAS GOING ON!" He looked like he was going to follow through with my vision, arm hovering over the little bats head as the reformed criminal cowered.

"Now, come come Basil. There's no need for violence." A dangerous yet silky voice stated calmly, "And would you also explain the need for all the yelling, you woke the little Flaversham girl…"

The little mouse was in the middle of a giant stretch and a yawn. The reason she was here was much worse than a simple case of criminal turned repentant. Her father had died. At the very same clock tower that Basil and Ratigan's final showdown took place. A copycat by the name of William Minster had decided it was the perfect place to remove the two pursuing him. He had taken Olivia and her father as bait.

When it seemed as though he would fail, he shoved her father into the abyss of the clock tower. The one who took it the hardest was Fidget. If he could fly, he would have been able to save him. It took both Basil and a sobbing Olivia to restrain him from doing something foolish. Ratigan killed William that day. She had been staying with them ever since. Sometimes waking up in the night from a nightmare only to find Fidget ready to hug her, they had become very close, siblings in their own right. Fidget was particularly protective.

At the moment though, he was too worried about the fist over his head to care about the young mouse.

Basil pulled his arm back, sighing, "It's nothing, really… just Fidget trying to suggest something ludicrous."

"Oh?" Ratigan looked at his old lackey with slight amusement. "What might that be?"

Fidget coughed, rubbing a webbed hand under his cap while the other tugged at his scarf. As a more nocturnal mammal he was usually given more freedom at the time when most of us would be asleep. He took a breath and began with,

"Well, I come in here and I see d'ese two lyin' on the carpet lookin' like d'ey're gonna start…" Fidget realized who he was talking in front of. Olivia was watching with a semi curious eye, her eight year old mind slightly confused as to what we could be talking about.

"Start what?"

"Heh heh…." Fidget coughed slightly, looking around at us and our extremely annoyed expressions. "I just remembered…I gotta go!"

With that he was gone, accompanied by Ratigan's cry of "FIIIIIDGEEEETT!" He took off faster.

Olivia looked up at us with her wide innocent eyes once we were sure he was gone, "What did he mean?"

"Um…that's a conversation for another time. Preferably when you're older." It was a cop out. But there was no way…

"Please?" The eyes did it, wide, blue, sparkling, and totally irresistible. We looked at each other before Basil called for his housekeeper, asking for sock puppets. After staring at us oddly for a moment before Basil quietly grumbled, "She asked 'the question'."

"Oh dear…hold on."

Thirty minutes later a loud "eeeeeeeewwww!!!" rang through the streets and our eardrums. Fidget had run off somewhere, and it was unlikely we would see him for a while.

But that doesn't change the fact that Fidget will be writing 'I shall watch what I say around those younger than me' for two weeks when I get through with him, and that rug was definitely going to be burned. Family heirloom or not.


End file.
